On Friday, Florida lawmakers passed a bill that would allow the state, to pick up illegal migrants from anywhere in the United States and relocate them to Sanctuary States. This was a practice, the state employed last year when it took migrants from Texas and dropped them off in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, setting off a firestorm in the process.
This legislation creates an Unauthorized Alien Transport Program (UATP) to relocate illegal migrants, who have already been processed by the federal government. The bill, having passed the state Senate last week, also passed the state House, 77-34 - approving SB-6B, according to a report by FOX Tampa. It heads now to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' desk to be signed into law.
The bill follows DeSantis previous event of chartering flights to fly 49 migrants from San Antonio, Texas to Martha's Vineyard last year. The bill is a direct result of legal questions over whether the governor had the authority, to move migrants not in his state, thrown at him by scornful Democrats. He effectively, by law, shut down this question. The bill effectively sets aside $10 million to transport migrants to sanctuary areas. State Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, the bill's sponsor stated-
"The federal government has not only failed but refused to take any action to deal with the over 200% increase in encounters at the border," … "In fact, this administration has taken steps to make the problem worse. The state of Florida is not, and never will be, a sanctuary state. It’s time for those sanctuary cities to put their money where their mouth is."
- Sen. Blaise Ingoglia (R) Florida
And of course, the Democrats have criticized the bill as political gamesmanship. Florida Miami Rep. Dotie Joseph, a Democrat, said this of her colleagues and DeSantis-
"What we are seeing with most of our Republican colleagues is that they don’t really care about accountability," …"They want to give the governor a carte blanche to do whatever it is that he wants to do, regardless of legality, constitutionality or otherwise."
- Rep. Dotie Joseph (D) Miami, Florida
Republicans have praised efforts to move migrants to sanctuary cities amid record levels of illegal immigration. In fact, DeSantis doesn’t have to look far because illegal migrants in the Dry Tortugas National Park, after a weekend of multiple boat landings, saw as many as 300 illegals picked up by the Coast Guard at the Park, which is 70 miles west of Key West.
DeSantis told reporters last week-
"I think people are sick of having an open border with no rule of law in this country,".... "We can just sit here and do nothing about it or we can actually stand up and say whatever tools we have at our disposal, we are going to use."
- Ron DeSantis, Florida Governor
Against all odds, Governor DeSantis has taken a bold the stand on behalf of the legal citizens of Florida, as well as those other legal citizens, in the rest of the country. That he is trying, along with the legislators there - who back his determination to do what is lawful, speaks volumes to a country bereft of those in government leadership, who believe in the rule of law and our great constitution. The courageous leaders of the border states - like DeSantis - that are holding a line, need our prayerful support. One wonders how much more money could be raised, if a general fund was started to assist Florida in financing the UATP according to SB-6B.
What do you think Governor DeSantis – could you use some national support? Others may rally to your call.
“No one is born brave; one needs to learn to muster courage - On the Birth of Character”
-Lamine Pearlheart